Photo: KTW file
UPDATE: 9:45 p.m.
It's been a long and challenging day for many parents, kids and SD27 staff after a terrifying school bus crash along Highway 97 near Lac La Hache.
Supt. Chris van der Mark told Castanet that all students, wherever it was possible, have been reunited with their parents.
"So parents picked up kids at the local hospitals if they were taken there. And other than that, earlier in the day, other students were reunited much quicker. Obviously, one of the biggest challenges was with the highway being closed," he said.
At this point to his knowledge, no students or staff experienced life threatening injuries.
"There were a lot of bumps and bruises, and some students were required to go to hospital for further evaluation or medical attention," van der Mark added.
"At the end of the day, we're really thankful that we're not having a different kind of conversation."
Van der Mark said he has great appreciation for the staff who happened to be on the scene, and the first responders managing a very complex situation.
"Whether it be paramedics, RCMP, firefighter crews, analyst services, just an absolute, massive thanks to all that work. And then again, thanks to the parents who were able to muster at the spots and make sure that they were able to get reunited with their kids."
There is no information on what led to or caused the bus to crash early Friday afternoon.
RCMP confirmed a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle and killed. A witness to the subsequent crash said he appeared to be running, "trying to help" the kids on the bus when he was struck by an oncoming vehicle.
The crash continues to keep Highway 97 closed in both directions, approximately 33 kilometres south of 150 Mile House.
UPDATE: 6:18 p.m.
A Kamloops woman was shaken up after witnessing the school bus crash along Highway 97 near Lac La Hache Friday afternoon.
“It was a very scary state,” the woman said.
The woman, who did not want her name published, said she saw the bus leave the road and go down an embankment. Alongside her daughter and husband, she was among the first on scene.
“We saw the tail end of the bus go down the ditch. Then we stopped because there's so much dust,” the woman said.
The woman said the bus was heading toward her vehicle southbound, in the direction of 100 Mile House, when it left the road.
She said other people in northbound vehicles behind them stopped as well and one man attempted to cross the highway to get to the crash site when he was hit by an oncoming car. He has since died, police said.
The woman said that while her husband and daughter went to check on the bus, she tended to the man.
She said he appeared to be running "trying to help" the kids on the bus when he was struck by an oncoming vehicle.
"It was very awful," she said.
She said she counted 32 children on the bus and her husband was among those helping to carry them up from the ditch.
“They were all screaming, crying [and] screaming for their moms,” the woman said. “A lot of the kids were injured. All we could see were superficial wounds at the time.”
She said at one point the jaws of life were being used to open a portion of the bus.
The woman said the bus left the road from the far end of the four-lane portion of the highway, and it did not appear to be travelling very fast when it did.
“He [the bus driver] just went right over the embankment and straight down,” the woman said.
She said the bus did not appear to have been fishtailing or braking when it went off the highway.
“It all happened so fast,” she said.
The woman said she was on scene for about 90 minutes before eventually leaving after emergency personnel arrived.
“It took what felt like forever before anybody came — police or ambulance,” she said, noting she will be giving a statement to the police.
This story will be updated if more information becomes known.
UPDATE: 5:26 p.m.
RCMP has confirmed that "numerous people" who were on the SD27 school bus Friday that crashed have been transported to hospital with varying injuries.
The school bus was carrying elementary school students and adults from a school field trip to Gavin Lake and had been returning students to 100 Mile Elementary and Horse Lake Elementary, who have all been accounted for.
100 Mile House RCMP and BC Highway Patrol (BCHP) said they responded to the report of a collision involving a bus carrying school-age children, on Highway 97 at Butler Road in Lac La Hache at approximately 1 p.m.
"Multiple air ambulances, BC Emergency Health Services ground crews and several local fire departments responded to the scene," Cpl. Melissa Jongema, Media Relations Officer with BC Highway Patrol said in the press release.
"Police are also working with the local school district in order to help re-connect parents with their children. There were over 30 people on the bus including students and adults who have all been accounted for."
SD27 Supt. Chris van der Mark said the district is currently reaching out to parents and has set up a reunification site at the South Cariboo Arena for the families.
At the time of the crash, there was a subsequent collision on the highway where a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle, according to RCMP.
"BCEHS attended the scene but despite life-saving efforts, the person did not survive," RCMP added.
BCHP is working closely with 100 Mile House RCMP and the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service (CARS) has been called out to assist with determining the cause of the collisions."
RCMP said that based on the initial information they had received, the bus was travelling on Highway 97 just north of Lac La Hache when it went off the road and down an embankment.
The highway remains closed to all traffic while investigators work to process the scene.
Anyone who was travelling in the area and has dash camera footage or witnessed either collision is asked to contact BCHP- 100 Mile House at 250-395-2456.
UPDATE: 4:10 p.m.
Eleven ground and seven air ambulances were dispatched to a serious school bus crash along Highway 97 near Lac La Hache this afternoon.
BC Emergency Health Services told Castanet paramedics were called just minutes before 1 p.m. to the crash, which occurred near Wright Station Road.
According to the BC EHS, paramedics are responding to the bus crash, which was followed by a second incident in which a person was struck by a vehicle at the same location.
This is an evolving situation, involving multiple partners, including Interior Health, BC RCMP, and local fire first responders. More information will be shared as it becomes available,” paramedic public information officer Brian Twaites said in an email.
EHS says primary, advanced and critical care paramedics were sent to the scene as well as multiple supervisors and area managers.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and allow emergency vehicles to respond to the scene.
UPDATE: 2:48 p.m.
All children “have been accounted for” after a school bus carrying elementary school students on a field trip left the highway Friday near Lac La Hache, according to SD27’s superintendent.
Supt. Chris van der Mark told Castanet it’s too early to provide any more detailed information about injuries.
“We had a school bus that was returning students from a school field trip that ended up off the highway near Lac La Hache,” he said.
Van der Mark said parents of students who were on the bus are being asked to meet at the South Cariboo Recreation Centre in 100 Mile House.
“Please don’t go to the scene,” he said.
A photo posted to social media appears to show a school bus down an embankment.
Police said the highway remains closed.
“The highway is currently shut down to all traffic in both directions to allow first responders to safely attend and assess the scene,” RCMP Cpl. Brett Urano said in a news release.
“We are asking the public to avoid the area until further notice to allow crews to work.”
This story will be updated when more information becomes known.
Do you know what happened? Call our Kamloops newsroom at 778-376-2151 or email [emailprotected].
ORIGINAL STORY: 2:31 p.m.
There is no word yet on injuries after a serious collision Friday involving a school bus near Lac La Hache, north of 100 Mile House.
Emergency crews were called to the scene at about 1 p.m. The crash has closed Highway 97 in both directions approximately 33 kilometres south of 150 Mile House, according to Drive BC.
Students on the bus were on a field trip, according to SD27 board chair Ciel Patenaude.
“All I know so far is that it was a serious accident,” she said.
“We’re waiting on some more information. It was on the highway near Lac La Hache, but that’s all we know.”
100 Mile House RCMP confirmed they are on scene at the crash.
This story will be updated when more information becomes known.
Do you know what happened? Call our Kamloops newsroom at 778-376-2151 or email [emailprotected].
